Haydon May Get Surgery

LOUISVILLE, KY. — Heart-implant patient Murray P. Haydon may have to to undergo surgery late today to stem ``a small amount`` of bleeding in his chest, a Humana Hospital Audubon spokesman said.

The bleeding began Tuesday after doctors removed monitoring lines that allowed them to check the blood pressure in and around Haydon`s plastic and metal heart.

``It`s not been a lot. We`re just talking about a small amount of bleeding,`` spokesman Robert Irvine said, who added Haydon received transfusions Thursday to make up for the blood loss.

Fellow artificial heart patient Bill Schroeder experienced serious bleeding around the device after implant surgery Nov. 25 and doctors had to perform a second operation the same day to correct it.

Irvine said Dr. William DeVries, the surgeon who implanted Haydon`s new heart Feb. 17, was to decide whether surgery is needed to correct the problem later today.

``He may have to go in and find the place and take a stitch,`` Irvine said. ``But he does not feel it is major. It`s just going in and finding that point (of bleeding).``

The pooling of blood in Haydon`s chest cavity may be due to blood thinning agents doctors gave Haydon to ward off a stroke, which Schroeder suffered 18 days after his implant of the plastic and metal device.